THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2555, 16 June 1882, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION.

The demonstration in aid of the United Friendly Societies’ Dispensary fund was a very great success. The procession, accompanied by the bands, marched by the route already stated to the Exhibition, and the night being dark, the torches, of which there were a large number, showed up to great advantage. All the friendly societies wore well represented, and. as a whole, the procession was very good. The streets through which the procession passed wore lined with spectators, a large number of whom accompanied it along the line of march. On arriving at the building the procession faced inwards and the members of it, with the visitors, entered the building. From 730 p.m. to 8 o’clock a continuous stream poured iu till there must have been 2000 or 3000 persons in the building, A display of rockets, colored fires, &c., was made in the quadrangle eff the machinery annexe, and then the ooncert took place in the Concert Hall, which, together with tha gallery and avenues, was filled to overflowing. There were a large number of items on the programme, mainly vocal. Miss Amy Horton sang three of her songs with her usual success, and was moat enthusiastically applauded. The other items were rendered by several ladies and gentlemen. The instrumental portion, comprising three numbers, was given by the Artillery Band under Mr A. Hamilton, and the Austrian Band. A ball concluded the proceedings. To-night Blondin will reappear on the tight rope in the quadrangle, and there will also be an exhibition of dissolving views in the Ooncert Hall. Owing to the length of the programme the doors will open at seven o’clock, the Blondin performance commencing at 7.15, and the exhibition of dissolving views at 8 p m. In the report of the awards there was an error. The award to J. Fawoett of a oartificate of gold medal was for Mosgiol horse clothing, and not for saddle cloths as stated. There are perhaps no exhibits in the building in which the general public, more especially the ladies, take such interest as sewing machines. The history of the rise and progress of this wonderful invention, whereby that terribly realistic and dramatic idyll of Tom Hood’s, “ The Song of the Shirt,” is now rendered impossible in this period of the world’s history, is too well known to need repetition. Suffice it to say that between the old fashioned mode of sewing by hand and the machine there is as marked a degree of progression as from the old coaching days to those of the flying Scotchman, There are three machines represented in the Exhibition, the Davis’ vertical feed, the Singer, and the Household. Without entering into any learned discussion as to the relative merits of each, all we intend to do is to put before the public what they perform, and then the verdict must be with those most interested. The family machines manufactured by the Davis Company, of Watertown, New York, are in two sizes, viz., a treadle and a hand, both fitted with the same accessories. The advantages claimed for the Davis machine are the vertical feeder and vibrat ing presser foot. By these patented adjunctiflthere is no necessity for tacking, the needle being through all the plies of goods when the feed takes place. This was exemplified by the placing of two thicknesses of muslin, having at the end six thicknesses of cloth irregularly disposed in stair fashion. The stepping foot [passed from the thinness of the 'muslin to the thickest portion of the cloth without a stop, or stay, or aid from the operator. This proved conclusively that no seam would prove a barrier to the feed. The next accessory to the machine placed in work was the bommer. This was shown in all widths, from the very narrow for handkerchiefs to 1 Jin., there being four intermediate widths. The machine, as it were, tacks the work while proceeding, and pushed the wide hem out straight to the conclusion. The next attachment exhibited was the binder, and here it may be noted that the method of attaching these accessories to the Davis machine is simplicity itself, the mere turn of a small thumb screw being required. This attachment works admirably, no less than seven scollops of muslin being bound on the raw edge perfectly, whilst the machine was running at a high rate of speed. By the same attachment was shown the French and milliner's fold made and applied to tha garment at the same time, welting seams in blind stitch, binding and facing a dress, in one operation, without showing stitching, also piping in blind stitch. All the above operations were performed without basting. The next attachment shown was tho friller. This attachment is capable of producing scolloped pleated trimming, straight pleated trimming with piping, kilting (all widths), frilling bstweon two bands, showing edge stitching on tho right side without the the [operator binding the three pieces ; all varieties of ruffling, and also shirring and sewing on the garment at the same time, which is capable of being performed on velveteen, silk, satin or calico. The total varieties of kilting, pleating, ruffling, shirring, puffing, &3., performed by this attachment are twenty-one. Following this was exhibited the tucker attachment, which is self-binding, and does the work excellently. Next came an under braider sewing the band on tho under aide of the cloth, which it is claimed is a speciality of the Davis machine. There is no binding in this, the braider doing all the work. The automatic spool winder which is attached to the machine winds the thread on to the spool lightly and evenly. In speaking of the work done by the Davis during the trial of yesterday, the lighter descriptions of work only have been mentioned, but in the bay are exhibited some very fine specimens of heavy work, all done on the same tension as the lighter ones, such ns going through five or six thicknesses of cloth, heavy beaver, &0., in all of which the finish wos as complete as in the lightest muslin. Without entering into a technical description of the machine or expressing any opinion, the statement! given above of the work daily executed by the machine is before the public, who can 1 judge for themselves far better than any one else as to the oapabilitiss of each machine, when all have been spoken of. Next in order 1 of notice is tbo Singer, a description of which and also the Household will appear iu due course.